


Infeliz/Feliz (Free)

by PrincesaParkerina



Series: Cherry [1]
Category: Junior Express (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Set after 'Cherry La Plantita'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-11 17:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20157196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincesaParkerina/pseuds/PrincesaParkerina
Summary: Arnoldo is determined to set Francis free of him,some years or even months ago,the talented waiter would have been ecstatic.Now though? He couldn't be dreading this more.





	Infeliz/Feliz (Free)

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write Arnoldo breaking up with Francis so here we are.

"Francis....tell me.....for how long have you been this _unhappy_?"

Arnoldo questioned his loyal assistant,turning his head to the much younger man all of a sudden once he heard Francis come through the door from the direction of their room,much better rested than the last time the Grand Chef had seen him.

Or in the past 3 or 4 years at least.

Both of them have had terrible nightmares that didn't let either sleep well for the remaining of the night. 

Or work properly the next day.

It wasn't that uncommon,honestly,yet this time was a little worse than the others.

For the both of them.

Arnoldo tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter,dark,narrowed gaze boring into the skilled waiter's soul,the incidents from yesterday made the stubborn man come to a painful,_painful_ decision.

Perhaps painful for him and him only,something told Arnoldo that his sassy assistant waited for this for a very long time.

The ever kind boy with thick,black,curly hair just didn't have the heart to voice it,Arnoldo knows it,he's actually the one at fault for this one.

It's what happens when you're too good at intimidating people and putting them in their rightful place.

But today....

Today the Grand Chef Arnoldo was going to let **_his_** Francis go.

Even if on the experienced Chef's mind and heart,the talented raven-haired teen will always be his.

Yet the prideful man is far too sure he's not the one in charge of bringing Francis the happiness he deserves.

"W-what do you mean,sir? Wh-" Francis had walked in the kitchen to find an anxious,restless looking Arnoldo,whose had even allowed his flawless light brown curls to get somewhat disheveled,the short-tempered man had yet to go to sleep,it seemed.

He was sitted by a stool in front of a yellow counter full of breakfast goods and from everything that looked and smelled amazing in front of them what caught the curly-haired teen's dark olive green eyes were the avocados rellenos his brunet boss seemed to be working on the last touches of.

Or if Francis still knows his Chef as well as he think he does.

And _he does_.

All of this has been done for a while now and Arnoldo has been 'finishing the touches' on his latest dish for at the very least.....the past half hour or so.

And that's only because the responsible waiter is being very generous with numbers right now.

Francis stuttered and gulped,curling in on himself and pulling at his towel almost out of reflex.

Something is very _very_ wrong here.

And it most likely has to do with yesterday.

Francis looked back at his partner in many ways from the corners of his eyes,observing the older man's subtle movements,Arnoldo ran his thumb gently over a small cherry tomato slice,staring at it longingly as if reminiscing.

It definitely has to do with yesterday,Francis is royally doomed.

He slept the longest and most peaceful in many,many years.

But if Arnoldo's expression,posture and gestures were anything to go by.

The sassy waiter didn't sleep nowhere near enough to deal with any of what's to come,he's sure enough of that.

"With me,Francis! With us! With...._this_? For how long?! That's all I really need to know...if you've been unhappy from the start!" the older man raised his voice,finally letting go of the avocados to gesture wildly around the space between them,banging his fists on the table for even more emphasis that really was not necessary. 

The skilled waiter could notice his prideful Chef weakly fighting back tears,all Francis wanted to do at the moment was hold him Impossibly tight and never let go.

Yet he had the impression Arnoldo wouldn't allow him the honor and privilege this time around even he didn't really know what was going on just yet.

Francis tried anyway,with the excuse of calming his Boss' nerves.

Because Arnoldo's feelings always come first.

No matter what.

"Arnoldo,I'm not....._unhappy_.I'm with you,remember? How could I be?" Francis managed in a tone of reassurance that he swore to anyone that could hear him out there that it didn't sound fake,even if the gap-toothed grin playing on his thin lips may have been a little bit forced just to please Arnoldo.

And make sure he's happy.

The Grand Chef might just be the living definition of high-maintenance,Francis has to admit to himself it's not easy to keep the stubborn brunet Chef happy,more often than not the curly-haired waiter finds himself pushing his own feelings aside in order to comfort Arnoldo.

Francis deems it worth it,because when the short-tempered Italian man is genuinely happy,he's at his most beautiful and pleasant to be around.

No matter how rare those occasions really were if Francis actually stops to think about it.

The aspiring magician bit his bottom lip in concentration,closing and opening the palms of his hands stiffly yet as soothingly and gentle as he could manage around his distressed partner's shoulders.

Arnoldo closed his own eyes,inhaled and exhale slowly for a moment,agitated hands letting go from the firm grip he had on his apron,the movement of Francis' hands and fingers following along with the brunet man's sharp breathing and large effort to keep his tears at bay.

Otherwise no real response from the Grand Chef.

Francis let a long sigh of his own escape,that's far from what the charming waiter wanted nor expected,Arnoldo should have bursted out in tears on the younger's soft,broad shoulders,telling everything that has been distressing him by now.

Like all the other times.

It would have been far better than watch the man he admittedly cares for and loves so deeply trembling this terribly,trying to keep his emotions bottled up.

It never works,it only makes things much worse in the long run.

"Señor....?" Francis queried worryingly down at his mentor.

Stopping his ministrations for the time being to take a stool nearby for himself,sitting stiffly on it and reaching for the man's large hands to intertwine with his own instead,searching for eye contact with the stubborn man who refused to even glance in his direction yet let his hands be stiffly yet gently held and caressed.

Arnoldo doesn't mind letting Francis hold his hand,in fact,the Grand Chef is almost always the one to initiate that anyway,besides it feels nice and soothing for the both of them.

Still the prideful Italian man won't be able to do this if he actually _looks_ at Francis at this exact moment.

Gorgeous,curly,raven hair,vibrant,penetrating dark olive green eyes that shine bright when he smiles....

That breathtaking smile.

And Arnoldo is giving it all up. 

Because that smile is not supposed to be his.

Those eyes are not supposed to belong to him,same about those thick arms and shoulders the dramatic Chef grew so fond of these past years.

Even if they rightfully also belong to Arnoldo and Arnoldo _only_.

"You're clearly unhappy,Francis,you can't lie to me,you know that?" Arnoldo said resembling a calm,nearly nonchalant tone.

The small grin tugging at the corners of the older's lips while he stared ahead at the fast passing trees by the large window in front of them looked joyless and eerie on the dramatic man's soft,round features the responsible waiter loved so much.

The aspiring magician massaged the back of Arnoldo's hands with a stiff and practiced yet evident and deep fondness and affection to his touch,he _is_ unhappy,yet he doesn't want to start from zero with anyone else when he's still hopeful he can fix whatever issues he has with Arnoldo.

The Grand Chef has gotten kinder,more generous and patient,has been letting Francis teach things to him when he's having trouble with something,he doesn't lie or _act_ as often anymore.

Arnoldo has....._changed_.

And Francis is so damn proud of him for it,even if the experienced Chef still has a long way to go,even if there are still a large number of situations where the raven-haired waiter is terrified of the older man,the skilled teen simply has no real reason to leave the man's side anymore.

Not that Francis was really looking that hard for a reason in the first place....

He knew their relationship was far from ideal,yet Francis deems himself capable of doing anything in his power to save it.

He deems Arnoldo worth it too.

No matter what anyone says.

Nobody at this place knows Arnoldo like he does.

Nobody can judge them if they don't know what the two of them have gone through all these years.

"Arnoldo,we _promised_,I would never lie-" Francis tried to reason,speaking closer to the older man's ear,the stubborn Chef with light brown hair only looked away and shook his head vigorously,his large body shuddering involuntarily due to Francis' closeness,his waiter smelled of strawberry scented shampoo. 

So he chose to use Arnoldo's shampoo today,the prideful chef briefly wondered if Francis could still be allowed that simple luxury after they 'officially' break up.

Alas the stubborn Chef does remember the promise,his memory is actually stellar and there's a lot Arnoldo wishes he could simply forget. 

Natalio is a very lucky man indeed.

He doesn't have to remember his nasty break up with Topa because he lost all his memory altogether.

Speaking of the purple-clad Captain..... 

After Francis and Topa's unfortunate incident with the Nave nearly 3 years ago,Arnoldo and Francis promised to never lie to each other again.

The older of the two is very aware the both of them broke this promise more times than they can count since then.

Arnoldo is not stupid,Francis can't act,he can't lie either.

And he can't hide anything from his Grand Chef.

Or at least he really _really_ shouldn't.

Especially about something that should concern Arnoldo as well.

Like cheating on him with someone his actual age,God forbid.

"You never got over him,did you,Francis?" Arnoldo interrupted the waiter's empty excuses to get to the real issue,low voice coming out restrained and raspier than the usual as if the words physically hurt the man to say.

Arnoldo tried his hardest to choke back a sob,they might be as well,at least it's how he feels.

Betrayal hurts far more than being stabbed or shot because it never heals.

Worse than losing his precious Francis is losing his precious Francis to some worthless pretty boy because he's younger and knows how to play guitar.

No,the Grand Chef shook his head frantically,Francis is not that shallow,Arnoldo's sure of that,the once loyal assistant just wants someone to spend the rest of his life with.

Not someone who should be gone by the time the curly-haired teen is only on his 30s and a whole life still ahead of him.

The prideful Chef already wasted 10 years of the kind waiter's life as it is.

It hurts to even think about..... 

He only hopes Francis never forgets that Arnoldo was the one who made him who he is today,from a small,frail little girl afraid of even speaking who turned into a strong,sassy,gorgeous young man who will stand up to his mentor any time he finds necessary.

This was not a process that happened overnight.

Arnoldo was there every step of the way,yet it's time to let his Francis be free to make his own choices at last.

And he knows the charming teen's first choice.

Arnoldo knows his waiter will be sprinting out of here to throw himself directly into Rulo Rolando's arms the instant he tells his assistant the 'good news'.

That he no longer owns his life to Arnoldo.

"Arnoldo,what are you even talking about,sir-" Francis licked the inside of his cheeks,only growing more confused and frustrated at his beyond distressed Boss,instinctively gripping more firmly to Arnoldo's hands.

Possibly to calm his own nerves or keep Arnoldo from clawing at his own arms and hurting himself.

Both work as legitimate excuses.

He didn't like the direction this was going one bit.

Also Francis was missing the welcoming warmth of Arnoldo's big,dark brown eyes so badly,it seemed like the hot-tempered man hadn't looked at him in years.

The curly-haired waiter missed those eyes that could convince him to do anything to keep the older man happy.

What if Francis is unhappy now? Arnoldo's the one who matters.

He will always be the only one who matters.

Francis didn't really want to think too hard about the fact he was very okay with this.

"The Rulos,Francis! Rulo Rolando.... I let you date him,I sabotaged you two and made you have no choice but run back to me!" Arnoldo cried out unabashadedly,finally turning at Francis' direction and letting the tears he held on for so long fall.

He knew he should have left Francis come back on his own but he had gotten impatient.

The aspiring magician was frozen in place,his light,soothing movements around Arnoldo's hands stopping abruptly at the new piece of information.

That was 4 years ago,Francis had all but forgotten about the whole situation,Rulo Rolando has been trying to start things back with him since then.

Francis refuses every single time.

He always belonged to someone else already.

He belonged to Arnoldo before he even knew who he himself was going to grow up to be.

"Francis,you're free." Arnoldo said firmly,expression suddenly blank despite the tears streaming down,facing Francis yet his eyes seemed to stare far ahead of his loyal assistant.

"Wait,what-" Francis stammered awkwardly,instinctively reaching for a napkin to dry his Boss' round face,everything was happening too fast and the brunet man's grip on his arm was deadly.

The aspiring magician knows Arnoldo's mind is set and he probably spent days and nights thinking this decision over and over in his head.

What he forgot to do was consult Francis about it,this is far from a mutual decision.

'Being free' doesn't sound as tempting as it used to. 

Not if Arnoldo is not there to enjoy that 'freedom' with the talented waiter.

"I had always been terrified of losing you,Francis,turns out I'm the one who has to let you go." Arnoldo was close to crushing both of Francis' thick arms,shaking them harshly and still staring ahead.

"Arnoldo,I'm sure if we talk this out,that was _years_ ago-" Francis tried to manage in between the Grand Chef shaking him,letting a few napkins fall.

His arms were definitely going to hurt after this...... 

But not for the right reasons.

Arnoldo let go of his waiter's arms abruptly,reaching up for the boy's face,using his thumbs to roughly caress sweet,round cheeks that were quickly heating up under the older man's abrasive touch and warm gaze.

What can he do to make Arnoldo happy again? 

"Francis,Francis,Francis... _Mi Francis_,you deserve to be happy,you deserve to be free." with that,the Italian Chef closed his eyes and the space between them,his hands moving Francis' face closer to reach his own and attack the raven-haired teen's thin,pale lips.

Francis gasped in surprise at first yet shut his eyes and kissed back almost involuntarily,placing his own hand over the soft skin on the older's neck and double chin,what wouldn't he do to bury his large nose on that smooth,pale skin right about now.

Yet he only let Arnoldo do his thing and lick all over inside the young waiter's mouth before allowing his own large tongue join in and fight back.

Just like Arnoldo likes it.

It makes sense to do it the way the prideful Chef wants to if it's going to be their last kiss.

"Francis,we're heeeeere!!!" 

"Franciscochoooo....." 

"Hungry,I hope Francis brings some bread."

"Tranquilos,Rulos,I'm sure Francis heard us already." 

"Topa y Los Rulos are here! Take these to them quickly,they're late for Breakfast today!" Arnoldo let go of Francis quickly,making the talented waiter nearly fall off his stool.

The older,brunet man stood up and fixed his apron,trying yet failing miserably to compose himself after getting so distracted nipping,kissing and licking at his assistant's cheeks while they both recovered their air from a heated last kiss.

Francis watched Arnoldo hurriedly put many dishes on a tray,except for the avocados,he's not sure why.

All he knows is that he misses Arnoldo's ever eager mouth and rough touch already,his arms were hurting already, stinging,yearning for more.

Francis tugged down his vest,hesitantly accepting the tray from his Boss' trembling hands,he doesn't want to be free. 

Even if that means never truly being happy.

What matters is keeping Arnoldo happy and something on the back of Francis' mind tells him the man won't truly ever be if they're not together anymore.

The aspiring magician can't help but feel his heart flutter and his ego boosted at the worst of times.

The undeniable fact Arnoldo can't be happy without his loyal apprentice around.

Francis can fix this great misunderstanding,he's sure of it,once his stubborn partner actually allows him to speak for more than a second,that is.

Right now,his Waiter Duties call him.

"Arnoldo,what about the avocados rellenos? I'm not supposed to serve them?" Francis found himself asking while being rushed to the double doors.

"They're for you,Francis,see them as a 'Break Up' gift,from now on,our relationship will be strictly professional,how it was always supposed to be." Arnoldo replied impatiently,rushing Francis out the doors even faster than before.

The sooner Francis is gone,the sooner he can go back to crying in peace. 

And perhaps,prepare some ice cream to accompany those tears.

Arnoldo won't lie to himself because he knows there is absolutely no way he will find someone else like Francis at this stage in life.

"Pero Arnoldo-" the curly-haired waiter was very much shoved out the doors,he still could faintly hear his Grand Chef say.

"How you always wanted it to be."

Francis knew only one thing for sure.

His Arnoldo was so very wrong.

**Author's Note:**

> I just automatically thought that if Francis confessed to Arnoldo he gave the cinnamon cookies to the Rulos and also left Cherry in their care that it could only mean Francis was interested in Rulo Rolando again.  
Thus I wouldn't rest until this existed.


End file.
